The Golden Age of Unlikely Friendships
Author's Note
Hello, everyone! Here is another chapter of TGAOUF. It is a bit short, but Wander, again, wrote this chapter and I didn't want to mess with it as it already was fine just the way it is. I'll most likely update again tomorrow to make up for the shorter update! As always, enjoy it!
Leave reviews and all the things!
**This story was given to me by WanderlustandFreedom. The majority of the ideas/outline and the first several chapters, including this one, are ALL HERS..**
Year 3
After the next year's meetings, Ben took initiative and asked a servant to lead him to Mal and Maleficent's room. Then after they'd left, he knocked.
It took a moment, but eventually Maleficent opened the door. She looked quite surprised to have a visitor that wasn't a servant and she looked down at Ben, her mouth twitching, as if she couldn't decide whether to smile or frown.
"Hello, Queen Maleficent," he greeted. "Is Mal here?"
"Is that Prince Future King?" A voice demanded from inside. Ben knew it was Mal- her voice was very distinct to him. He tried to peer through the gaps in-between Maleficent to catch a glimpse of her, but he couldn't.
"She is," Maleficent nodded, ignoring the voice. "Is she being summoned?"
"The other kids and I are going down to the stables to ride horses and I wanted to invite her along," Ben explained. "Can she go?"
"To the stables."
"Yes."
"To ride horses."
Ben tapped his foot and tried to keep a straight back. "Yes."
"I don't think she's ever even touched a horse before," Maleficent said thoughtfully. She tilted her head back to glance at her daughter. "Have you?"
Ben didn't see Mal's response and he shrugged. "Well then, if she'd like, I'll teach her."
"You'll teach her."
"I'll even ride beside her if she's comfortable with that."
Maleficent blinked and Mal appeared behind her, frowning. Maleficent looked at her daughter again and she shrugged. Maleficent turned to look back at Ben. "Will the Aurora and Cinderella children be there?"
"Yes, but if they start acting like jerks, I can tell them to go away and they have to listen to me."
Maleficent's eyes narrowed and Ben sighed in acquiescence. "Yeah, I know I'm not much for getting rid of people. But we'll just move away so she doesn't have to deal with them. I think they'll behave if I tell them to, though."
"Mal can handle immaturity," Maleficent hummed, patting her daughter's head. "I'm worried about the other kids."
"Me too. Hopefully no one else catches the cold of stupidity." Ben glanced at Mal. "Do you want to go?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't hear the glimmer of hope in his voice.
Mal looked up at her mom. Maleficent looked down at her. Mal's frown deepened as she seemed to think it over before answering straightly. "I'm not really interested," she said. "Thanks though."
Ben deflated but nodded. "Okay," he said. "You can always come down if you change your mind. Goodbye."
Maleficent's mouth tilted up at the corners. She bid him farewell and the door was shut.
Ben scuffed the floor with his shoes as he walked, trying to put off going down to the stables as long as he could.
Another year, another failure.